Police investigate a money transfer service after allegations of theft

Thu 12 Dec 2013, 9:19 PM AEDT

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Girrawheen video shop and money transfer service under investigation for theft.

The WA Police Major Fraud Squad is investigating the owners of a Girrawheen video shop over allegations they stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from customers.

The video shop doubles as a money transfer service, which is used by many in the Vietnamese community to wire funds overseas.

Clients of the service have been sending money back to Vietnam to repay student loans or to help relatives who are undergoing urgent medical procedures.

At least one alleged victim has lost nearly $70,000.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dom Blackshaw from the Major Fraud Squad says it is alleged the money is being siphoned off.

"We've had a number of complainants come forward and we've identified hundreds of thousands of dollars of funds that have not arrived at their intended destination and of course it is a investigation into the alleged theft of those funds," he said.

Local MP Margaret Quirk's electorate office has been flooded with complaints.

She says many of the alleged victims are anxious about what has happened to their money.

"The Vietnamese community is a very hard-working diligent community, they've earned that money the hard way and they are pretty concerned that it appears to have gone for good," she said.

Detectives recently raided the premises and seized documents and cash.

Police say the proprietors of the store are assisting them with their inquiries.